


It takes a village

by shield_maiden



Category: The Society (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-07 20:11:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18880393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shield_maiden/pseuds/shield_maiden
Summary: Maybe she didn’t need Sam to be her babies fake father, but a father figure. Among lots of father figures. And mother figures. And aunts and uncles. It takes a village to raise a child.Or, Becca realises that Sam and Grizz are in love. It makes her reconsider a few things.





	It takes a village

**Author's Note:**

> I guess you could call this Grizzam from Becca’s perspective? Idek. You can find me on tumblr @crimson—petrichor where I do take requests and prompts.

Eden is three months old, she’s happy and healthy and Becca couldn’t be more in love with her daughter if she tried. Things have mostly settled into a comfortable routine now, with Sam working alternate days in the library and Grizz’s backyard garden although in the last few days the temperature has dropped dramatically, and it’s been snowing on and off. He’s due back from the garden any minute now, and Becca puts her book down to carefully cradle Eden to her chest so she doesn’t wake as she stands to peer out the window at the street. Of course her baby would be one of those babies who would only sleep literally on top of someone else. 

It’s snowing again, the white flakes drifting down to blanket everything beyond the front porch, and Becca is glad they’re inside with the heat on today. Eden stirs in her arms, beginning to fuss, and Becca bounces her gently as the figures of Sam and Grizz appear up the street.

“Sam’s almost home, see?” She coos, pointing out the window as though Eden has the ability to look too. The figures have stopped now, and she watches as Sam leans up on his tip toes, pressing a kiss to Grizz’s lips. She doesn’t have to be any closer to tell that they’re both smiling and happy, it makes something turn in her stomach, roiling and traitorous. Something like guilt.

The pair finally break apart and Sam reluctantly lets go of Grizz’s hand. His back is to the house so she can’t see what he’s signing to the other boy, but she can see Grizz’s side of the conversation. “You’d better go.” And at the last second “I love you.”

It’s probably silly, being upset by it. She knows that Sam is gay, has known for years, and supported him always. Just like he’s been supporting her, pretending to be her baby daddy so she doesn’t have to do this alone and people don’t ask questions that she’s not ready to answer. She just never considered that Sam might find someone, that her lies and their pretend family might get in the way of something she knows that Sam has always wanted. 

She’s pulled abruptly from her thoughts by the front door swinging open as Sam finally makes it inside, mustering a smile that she’s sure doesn’t quite reach her eyes as he hangs up his scarf and coat. He smiles widely at them both, reaching out to tickle Eden’s cheek, the coldness of his fingers making her squirm unhappily. 

“Good day?” She signs as best she can with her arms full of baby.

“Yeah, good day.” He signs back. “You?”

Then he holds his arms out, and she carefully places Eden in them, and watches for a moment as she smiles a gummy baby smile at him. He’s wonderful with her, but Becca wonders if he’s really happy, being here with her and not with Grizz.

She doesn’t realise she never responded until he looks at her expectantly, waiting to hear how her day was.

“Sorry.” she signs, and then with an affectionate eye roll. “Quiet, someone finally slept.” 

——————————————————————————

They go to dinner in the cafeteria with everyone else, Eden bundled up tight against the cold. Kelly takes her almost immediately, allowing Becca and Sam to get their food and drinks. When Becca looks over again, Kelly and Gordie are fussing over her, Gordie shaking his keys in front of her to make her smile. 

Just maybe, with the help of everyone else, she might be okay. Maybe she didn’t need Sam to be her babies fake father, but a father figure. Among lots of father figures. And mother figures. And aunts and uncles. It takes a village to raise a child. And her village seemed eager to help. Maybe she didn’t have to tell them who the father really was, after all, he wasn’t here and It didn’t matter now. She could just say that it was a one night stand and she never saw him again. 

She eats quietly, turning the idea over in her mind. Initially she’d been so scared of having to raise this baby at all, never mind on her own. Could she do it? Could she be a mom? Could she love her child? Now, she thinks that maybe she can, with the help of this extended family they’ve all become. 

When she finishes her food she realises Sam is looking at her, a frown on his face. 

“Are you okay?” He signs.

She shrugs, because is she? She’s not sure, but now isn’t the time or place to talk about it. “We’ll talk later. At home.” She replies.

“As much as I like the break, I’d like my child back now.” She says with a smile to Gordie and Kelly, who are still happily entertaining Eden across the table from her. All three of them pout at this, and she can’t help but laugh. Eden grips Gordie’s finger tightly in her pudgy hand as Becca scoops her up, adjusting the adorable bobbled hat on her head. 

“Say bye-bye to uncle Gordie and Aunt Kelly.” She says, waving Edens tiny hand at them for her. 

————————————————————  
Later, when they’re at home and Eden is suckling sleepily from a bottle, Sam sits across from her on her bed. 

“Ready to talk?” He signs as she shifts Eden in her lap and uses the point of her elbow to keep the bottle upright while she signs. Anxiety knots in her stomach, and she takes a deep breath before she speaks.

“We don’t have to keep doing this.” She says. “Pretending that you’re the father.”  
She can sense that he’s about to interrupt, and she signs for him to stop. “I need to get this out. Then you can talk, please.”

He nods minutely, a worried frown creasing his features, but he doesn’t try to interrupt again. 

“I saw you and Grizz,” She says with a sigh, “and it made me realise how unfair this is for you. I know being Eden’s father something you want to do, and I am so grateful that you do. But I want you to be happy, I don’t want you to miss out on anything. You will always be in her life, but you don’t have to keep taking responsibility for something you didn’t do.”

He looks like he’s about to say something, but he pauses and she can see him turning it over in his mind like she had, and deep down she knows that he wants to be able to have some semblance of a life with Grizz, maybe come out as a couple, move in together. 

“What will you do?” He asks. And of course his first thought is for her, it’s sweet. 

“It takes a village to raise a child, and I think we’ve got a pretty good one here.” She says with a smile. “I’ve thought about it, and I think I can make it work. I just don’t want to feel guilty for being in the way of your happiness with Grizz.”

He smiles sadly, but nods in understanding “What will you tell everyone?” 

And there it is, the hurdle she’s not quite sure she knows how to cross.

“I don’t know.” She admits. 

“Immaculate conception?” She jokes and then shrugs. “I’ll just tell everyone that it was someone at a party.” 

His mouth twists in thought, he still looks sad but she can see a glimmer of excitement underneath. “If you’re sure.”

“I am.” She says. “I love you and I want you to be happy.” 

She looks at Eden in her lap, now sleeping peacefully and amends her previous statement. “We love you.” 

————————————————  
It’s surprisingly easy to start telling people, like a heavy weight is being lifted from her shoulders. Sure, it’s not the whole truth, but at least she won’t be carrying the guilt of taking Sam’s choices from him anymore.

She tells Kelly over coffee, and the brunette smiles softly even as Eden fists her small hands in the ends of her ponytail. “We thought it was a bit weird, you two never really seemed like anything more than friends.” 

It’s all worth it when she sees Sam walk into the cafeteria hand in hand with Grizz. He looks so happy, it brings tears to her eyes that she’s still wiping away when the two of them sit opposite her. 

“You’re not pregnant again are you?” Grizz asks, his lips quirking upwards.

“No, it’s just really nice to see you both happy.” She says, reaching across the table to grasp both of their hands. 

It’s going to be okay. 

She has a whole village behind her after all.


End file.
